Water leak in Hutch destroys petition

Students' hopes for improved conditions in Hutchinson Gymnasium weight room were dampened last week -- literally. A petition protesting the condition of the University's recreational facilities and the free-weight room in Hutchinson Gymnasium was ruined when water pipes leaked on part of the document last week, a Hutchinson employee said. "This is a testament to the atrocious conditions we work out in," said College junior Eric Tienou, the weight room supervisor on duty during the incident. "What the heck, pipes leaking everywhere? There's no more proof than that." According to recreation department administrators, students have complained about the gym since they returned from summer vacation and found the University's only free weight equipment had been moved into a hallway in Hutch's basement. The hallway, with its stained carpets, protruding pipes and lack of circulation, is the current free-weight room until the collapsing floor of the old free-weight room is repaired. The first page of the petition which explained its purpose, as well pages that contained 200 to 300 of the most recent signatures, was stationed at the desk near the entrance of the hallway. The desk sits below three water pipes, which, according to Tienou, have been leaking for some time. "Last week I was here and one of the pipes had started to leak profusely," he said. "When I got here there was water everywhere, so I moved the table back. "[The petition] got all wet," he continued. "From the way it looked, it couldn't be submitted. It was destroyed." When Tienou's shift ended, he said he went upstairs and told administrators about the leaks. "The next time I came, there was no petition," he said. "And the last I knew, it had around 900 signatures. "There are all of these water spots from the pipes leaking on the floor," he said pointing to several dark circles on the gym's carpet. " And they also leaked on the [free-weight] benches." According to Tienou, the University had "not really" done anything about the pipes, which are bandaged with tape and paint. "This is not something that's new," he said. "The pipes have always leaked when you walked through the hallway to the free-weight room." Assistant Director of Recreation John Hamrick said he does not know what happened to the petition. "Actually, the student who started the petition never left his name," he said. "He came and picked up some of the signature sheets, but I haven't seen him since." The petition, started on September 27, was only one form of student complaints. But according to administrators, an increase in student action is the best way to expedite the University's plans to improve its recreational facilities. "Students must keep it in front of the administration," Robert Glascott., the director of the the Recreation Department, said in October. Hamrick agreed with Glascott. "Students don't realize the power of numbers," he said.